Seven Minutes Till Detonation
by FollowMeDown
Summary: On Virmire, Shepard tries to make her choice before It's too late. Her choice eventually leads her to find someone she hasn't seen in years.Spoilers for Virmire.
1. Just Water

Ahh, right. Here's a little back-story behind this. On Virmire, I was so angry that I had to leave one of them behind. I was pissed. Seriously, I was so angry. It took me like seven minutes to make a choice. The bomb probably would have blown up already. So there is your miniature back-story. And I know this sucks. So, don't read it if you don't want to.

Disclaimer: Oh, you know better! I do not own Mass Effect.

"Commander, you have to make a choice! We don't have much time!" Ash's voice crackled over the comm. It was tearing her apart. Choosing between two soldiers was something she hated doing, but these weren't soldiers anymore. They were friends. It was like her dad had always said.

_"Soldiers are soldiers. Your crew is your crew. They aren't your friends, Jane, don't act like they are." _

"_Yes sir!" The harmless little chirp of fourteen-year old Jane Shepard squeezed through the tense air. Jane's brother, Jacob, had just been reported dead. KIA. The funeral was small, quiet, and over-all secret. Family only. Just how father wanted it._

_"Cheer up Janey!" Her younger sister, Sam, preferably Max, had always tried to be optimistic. Optimism was usually what got her in trouble with father. A swift tap to the head usually had her quiet, but she always grinned like an idiot anyway. Eternal optimism sure got depressing sometimes._

"_Max!" Her mother hissed, "Show respect for your brother!" Max looked slightly baffled. She wouldn't sleep well tonight, and Jane would have to deal with the constant turning and tossing of her sister._

"Commander, we've got seven minutes till that bomb explodes. Make a choice!"

"Thanks Joker, but I really don't need to be rushed right now!" She said. These decisions sucked. "Ash, do you think you can make a break for it and meet us at-"

"No way skipper. Those elevators are way to slow and there are way too many geth here for me to make it in time."

"Joker is there anyway you could pick Ash up and co-"

"Nope. Wouldn't be able to make it. Four minutes. Hurry up commander!" Her head screamed in agony. She shifted her eyes up to Garrus and Tali, eyes pleading for help. They both shook their heads. Of course. It was her decision. She couldn't pin it on them.

"Alenko. Could you-"

"Commander, you know we can't get all get out of here alive."

"Two minutes commander, we need a decision _now_." She closed her eyes. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't possibly choose between them. She took one last breath. "Joker. Bomb. I'll meet you there… I-I'm so sorry I-I"

"I understand, commander."

Flux was filled with the usually combination. A loud, pulsating beat from the stereos, the clack of glasses and the clattering of credits. Something was missing though. She couldn't quite place it. She looked around. The bouncer was there…The usual crowd of drunks…she couldn't find one thing that was out of place. She began her walk to the bar.

"Hey, watch it, jerk!" She shouted. A girl had smashed into her. She was probably drunk.

"Whoa, sorry my bad." The girl muttered. Before walking off.

"Asshole." She muttered. She continued her approach to the bar.

"'Ey Jane. Where's the rest of your crew?"

"Ship." The word barely escaped her lips. She was still overwhelmed by Virmire.

"Ahh. You're here yourself for a drink then a presume. What'll it be, Shepard?"

"Just…water, Al." Al looked surprised.

Usually she asked for the most alcoholic beverage he could find, she was never specific. Regardless, he filled a glass and gathered the credits. He watched her take it to the table hidden in a dark corner.

"Hey Al!" A peppy voice called, "Who was that?"

"That, was Spectre Jane Shepard. Treat her with respect, if you talk to her, you hear?" He said, looking at her suspiciously.

"Yeah…yeah sure. Whatever. Thanks Al." The girl muttered walking away from the counter.

"'Ey! Where you goin'?" There was no answer.

She sipped quietly at the water. She had felt sick ever since Virmire.

'_Of course I've felt sick…I just left-'_

"Well, well…well. Jane Shepard." She looked up. A woman grinned down at her, "Mind if I take this seat?"


	2. You want that Sautéed or burnt?

Yeah. I'm continuing it. Didn't plan on it. But I just have wayyy to much time on my hands. So, even though it is really bad, here you go. Eat it, or eat it and then throw it up. Your choice. By the way, this chapter is powered by Stride and Rise Against. YEAH!

Disclaimer: Yeah. If you know anything, you should know that I don't own Mass Effect….or Stride…or Rise Against…darn….

"Well, well…well. Jane Shepard." She looked up. A woman grinned down at her, "Mind if I take this seat?" She looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her face. Her eyes were dark, but the emotion in them was bright.

"That depends. Who's asking?" The woman smirked.

"Max. Max Shepard. Remember me?" Max's grin widened and she sat her self down in the seat opposite Jane. She now knew why the woman looked familiar. There was something different about her though…

"I haven't seen you in years sis. You're actually the reason I came here." Max spoke, giving her a look that she knew all to well.

"What?"

"Want me to say it again? You…are…the…reason…I…came…to…-" Max began, speaking slower and louder.

"No, I heard. Why would you come here for me though?" She interrupted.

Max looked confused, "You're my sister Jane. I had no idea where you were, then I get news that you've become the first human spectre. You were bound to show up on the Citadel eventually. So I came here, and decided I'd stay here for a bit." Jane shook her head. Max had always been a terrible liar when it came to how things were.

"You don't have a job, do you?"

Max shifted uncomfortably. "Well…n-no. Not exactly. B-But I'm fine! I'll be okay!"

"Have you tried getting a job?"

"Yeah. But I haven't been able to hold one for very long."

"Who are you staying with?"

There was a long awkward silence between the two women. Jane's gaze tore right through her. Typical. While she had gotten her Fathers brutal glare and her Mothers utter love of anything alive, Jane had gotten her Fathers skill with anything that could kill you and her Mothers negotiation…skills.

"Let's change topic." She uttered. Inside she sighed grateful that that was what came out.

"No. You can't ignore things like this! If Isaac taught you one thing, that-"

"Don't bring Isaac into this!" She shouted. She shot Jane a glare.

'_If you have some brains in the decorated skull of yours, then you'll drop it and move on.'_

"…So have you tried the med-clinic?"

'_So close Jane!! So, very, very, close!"_

"No, and I don't plan to."

That was it. That was the ending marker of that conversation. It was time for another one. But Jane never gave up. Ever. Everything has to drag on until It's either solved, or blown up.

"Do you still cook?" Jane looked way too excited for her liking.

"Uhh…when I get the chance, yeah. Why?" A smile slowly crawled onto Jane's face, "I'm not sure I like where this is going." Jane laughed.

"You shouldn't Max. You really shouldn't. Come with me!"

She sat down in a fairly uncomfortable chair, looking at a horde of people she didn't know. People she didn't want to know. Her sister had recently dragged her out of Flux, where she had been quite happily seated at a much more comfortable seat, to the med-clinic, through C-sec and to the docks, where she had then entered the most advanced war-ship in the fleet. Upon arriving in this piece of technology, she had been given a forced medical examination. Not her definition of 'cool'. The door opened with a swish and Jane quietly emerged through the med-bay's door.

"What the hell, Jane? What the hell?!" She yelled at her sister, "You can't just go around dragging people out of there seats!"

"I told you you wouldn't like where it was going!" Jane snickered.

"Yeah well you can predict the frickin' future can't you? What am I doing here anyway?"

"You _can_ cook, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. What does…oh no. No!"

"Yep. Welcome aboard." She groaned.

'_Greaaattt…'_


End file.
